Foreword
Biomass grown for use as
feedstock often has to compete with other applications. The chief example is,
of course, food, which has led to a long-standing debate about the most appropriate
use of a limited agricultural land resource to minimise the risks of additional
conversion of land to agricultural use. This month the spotlight is on wood and
in particular the pressures being placed on use of waste wood resources. Forestry is a key contributing sector of the bioeconomy, as woody biomass
is a very promising prospective feedstock for biorefinery opportunities, thanks
to the complex hydrocarbons that can be derived from lignocellulose, as well as
the potential to efficiently deliver large volumes of carbohydrate (sugars) per
unit of land area. Wood and forestry
by-products also offer..........
Other News this Month Includes:
Markets
- Large increase for UK waste wood demand for
biomass
- More operational plants mean more biomass
supplied by Stobart
- Total's La Mede plant to utilise palm oil
despite EU regulations
Research & Development
- UK Biomass Biorefinery Network launched
- Study identifies most promising pyrolysis
feedstocks
- Project to promote sustainable palm oil
- Report into emissions from petroleum-based
plastics
- Drax and partners to explore hydrogen
Wood & Crop
- Wood pulp alternative from crop waste
- Enviva expects wood pellet demand increase
- Novel technology to improve corn oil yields
for ethanol
- Concerns biomass energy could threaten
recycled wood sector
- US wood pellet export destinations
- Progress on Velocys biomass gasification plants
Other Feedstocks
- Major UK supermarkets commit to food waste
reduction
- Feedstock supply agreement for Next
Renewable Fuels plant
Events
Feedstock Prices